Bicycle



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

C. YOUNG.

` BICYCLE.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 15, 1896.

LE J

(No Modem Y 2-Sheets-Srh'eet 2.

C. YOUNG.

BIeYeLB. No. 567,628. 4 Patented Sept. 15, 1896.

- shaft, suitably journaled in the boxes J J','

j PATENT Fries.

CARL YOUNG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.-

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,628, dated September 15, 1896.

Application filed October 7, 1895. Serial No. 564,926. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bicycles, and has for its object to provide certain new and useful improvements relating particularly to brake mechanism operated by means of the pedal.

The particular construction of the parts here shown may be modified considerably, and therefore the drawings are to be taken only as generally illustrative of what I desire to protect. lith this View my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of the entire bicycle.- Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section showing certainparts. Fig. 3 is a detail and sec tion of the pedal-crank and associated parts. Fig. 4 is a view on the line 4 t, Fig. 2.

There is no attempt in these views to show every part, but only such parts as are necessary to be shown to give a correct understand ing of the case.

A A are the bicycle-Wheels; I3 B, portions of the frame; C, D, E, and E, other parts of the frame. F is the driving-chain; G, the sprocketewheel, and H the small wheelon the shaft of the driving-wheel. J is the pedalwhich depend from the yoke J 2 on the framepiece D. `J3 J 3 are the balls or ball-bearing within the boxes J. The sprocket-wheel G is suitably secured on the shaft, and between the sprocket-Wheel G and one of the boxes J is interposed the clutch device, which consists of the annular portion K, keyed to the shaft and having the groove for the balls K K on its opposite faces.

K2 is an annular or ring-like portion of the case. Secured into its sides are the Washerlike pieces K3, which with it form a case for the clutch. These washer-like pieces are grooved so as to form the other portion of the groove in which the balls K work. Within theannular chamber formed between the washers K3 K3, the ringKg, and the annular part K is disposed the spring-ring L, which is circuniferentially grooved within, `but toward its edges on the inner surface is smooth to form frictional contact with the exterior surface of the edges of the annular portion K. At the middle of this annular portion K is a surrounding ratchet-surface M. The ring is provided with a vseries of recesses in which lie the dogs N, each forwardly forced by the spring N. This ring is slightly less than a complete ring, so that it can be cramped. The abutting ends are seen supported at L.

Through the wall of the shell at one end projects the pin O, which is borne by the pivoted link O, to the other end of which link is attached the chain O2. This chain passes down along the are-shaped surface O3 and is secured at Ol to the lower end thereof. These two arc-shaped pieces are supported on the arms O5 O5, .which unite at the center and are secured by ball or roller-bearingsO6 about the shaft OT, which is journaled in the frame OS, from which frame upwardly projects the pin O9, surrounded by the spring O10. This spring is interposed between the frame OS and the piece O, which surrounds the pin and is rigidly secured on the yokes or bifurcated support O12.

The upper end of thefpin engages the rock O20 on the shoe O13, grooved and adapted to engage similar grooves in the brake-wheel O1* on the shaft J.

P P are the pedal arms or cranks, supporting the pedals P P. Eachof these pedalcranks is formed continuous with the ringshaped part K2. The ring L is secured at one end to the shell or ring K2 by means of the pins R R. The shoe O13 is pivoted at S on a projection from the part S', to which the frame-piece C is secured.

Tis a screw-threaded bearing screwed onto the shaft J, and in opposition to the boX portion J', furnishing with it the groove or space for the balls J 3. i

In the description we have been describing onepart or side. It is understood, of course, that the parts may be duplicated," as indicated in Fig. 2. i i

As previously stated, the particular forni and shape and arrangement of the several parts may be altered and varied without departing from the spirit of my invention, and

I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown.l

I canillustrate, however, the operation of my invention by explaining the manner in which it is operated with the particular form of apparatus hereshown.

Referring to the mechanism, it will be observed that each pedal is iiXed so as to make a partial rotation or, so to speak, a reciprocation. The arc traversed may of course be varied according to the construction and desire of .-the user, ,but it maybe substantially the distance indicated in Fig. 1. The two pedals are set so as to be in the opposite extremities at the same time. Each pedal, as indicated, is associated with an annular or ring-shaped portion or shell Which encircles the Apedal-shaft, and each such shell carries with it an internal spring-ring, which also surrounds the shaft and which is provided with a simple frictional bearing-surface to engage the annular part which is keyed to the shaft. Each spring-ring is also provided with a series of apertures in which rest blocks and springs, which .springs tend to force the blocks inwardly. The annular part is toothed and the blocks are toothed, so that they mutually-interlock, and the blocks are situated in my preferr-ed form .so that they are supported by an arc of different length, the result being that but one block will engage the opposed ratchettooth at the same time. The eifect of this is that with a tooth ofthe given length there will beoperative engagement with the ratchet I andthe ring shall be rotated more than onefourth the length of such tooth ifthere be four blocks. Plainly the number of blocks may be varied at will and also the length of thetooth, so that by this-simple device I amenabled .to shorten the distance of rotation of thering to whatever point may be found most desirable. Thus is to be insured prompt effective engagement of the clutch portions upon the beginning of the descent of the pedal. parts-are employed, but I do not'claim any special invention as touching them. As the pedal in question d escends under the pressure of Vtheriders weight or under the pressure of the'riders foot, the frame carrying the two arcs O3 O3 is rocked upon its pivotal point, and

`theother or opposite pedal is drawn upward to a'point where it may begin an effective downward stroke. This relation can of course be varied so as to increase or diminish the pedal-stroke. Evidently the stroke may be varied at will to any range withinthe'total range of excursion as determined by the construction of the parts.

Assuming that the operator desires to brake or stop the machine, hewill push downwardly upon both pedals no matter what their positions may be. This of course tends to straighten out the chain O2, and in the first instance to put the pressure on the link O',

The shell, ball-bearings, and like so as to force the pin O inwardly,`and this pin, since it impinges vagainst the outside of the ring Il, cramps the same on the annular portion K, and this applies a pressure to the shaft to brake or tend to stop it. At the same time if the pressure applied to the pedals be great enough the pivotal point of the doublearc frame will tend to raise, thus lifting the frame O8 against the spring O10 and forcing the pin O9 upwardly, and since this pin impinges against a projection on the shoe O13, the latter will be forced against the wheel O1* and will apply the pressure to it and thus tend to stop or brake the shaft of the machine.

I lay no particular stress on the construction of the frame or sprocket-wheels, as the ordinary frame and driving connections can be employed.

By the construction herein shown I am able to obtain long lever-arms and thereby obtain great power. It is, however, verydesii-able with such a construction to have some kind of brake mechanism, as otherwise the machine cannot be controlled, as it has been found by experience that it is impracticable to use a brake which operates upon the peripheryof` the bicycle-wheels, especially when pneumatic tires are used. I have therefore provided a brake which acts directly upon the pedal-shaft and which is operated by the pedal-levers.

I claim.-

l. In a bicycle, the combination of pedallevers, a driving-shaft with a surrounding toothed portion, an encircling spring-ring connected with the pedal-levers and provided with openings containing dogs adapted to engage said toothed portion, and a connection between the other lever and the shaft so as to rotate it when the pedals are moved, a brakewheel on said pedal-shaft opposed to said ring, a connection between said levers so that a movement of one causes an opposite movement of the other, and a connection between said ring and the pedal connection whereby the brakeis operated when pressure is simultaneously applied to both pedal-levers.

2. A bicycle comprising a driving-.shaft with a brake-wheel thereon, two pedal-levers associated with said shaft, one of said pedallevers being provided with an enlarged end which incloses said brake-wheel, a springring interposed between said .pedal-lever and said brake-wheel and within such end and connected with the former, a connection between the pedal-levers by which a movement of one causes an opposite movement of the other, and a connection from said spring-ring to the pedal connection so that when both are pressed, the spring-ring iscramped so as to retard the pedal-shaft.

CARL YOUNG.

Witnesses:

BERTHA C. SIMS, LILLEY J oHNsToNE.

IOC 

